Cash register and indicator



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. G. LATIMER.

CASH REGISTER AND INDIGATOR. No. 430391. PatentedJune 17. 1890.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-.Sheet 2. W. G. LATIMER.

CASH REGISTER AND INDICATOR.

No. 430,391. Patented June 1 '7. 1890.

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W. G. LATIMER. CASH REGISTER AND INDIOATOR.

No. 430,391. Patented June 17. 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

YVILLIAM G. LATIMER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE LATIMER CASH REGISTER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CASH REGISTER AND INDICATOR,

SPECIFICATION forming partcf Letters Patent No. 430,391, dated June 17, 1890.

Application filed January 27, 1890. Serial No. 338,298. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, WILLIAM G. LATIMER,a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of lVayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Cash Register and Indieator, of which the following is a specification, reference being lad therein to the aceonipanying drawings.

;o This invention relates to new and useful in provenents in a cash register and indicator 5 and the invention consists in the peeuliar construction of a device for locking the tabletlolding rods and the register-actnating rods;

z 5 and, further,'in the peculiar construction of an apparat us designed to prevent the simultaneous operation of two or more keys; and,

further, in the peculiar construction, arrangenent, and combination of the parts, all as zo nore fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vcrtical section through my nachine. Figs. 2 and 3 are similar sections showing the tablet-rods, registering-rods, and Connecting nechanisn at different points of operation. Fig. 4 is a crosssection on line a: x in Fig. l. Fig. 5 isa sini: lar section showing one of the keys operated. Fig. 6 is a similar section showing a modificaton.

' The invention herein dcscribed is designed to be au inprovenent upon .nypreviouspateut, No. 409,107, dated August 13, 1889, and upon ny application for patent, Serial No. 326,805. F

3 5 A is a case of the nachine in which are the series of keys B, pivoted to thetransverse shaft C, and each key supporting at its rear end atablet-rod D and a registering-rod E.

F is the registering in eehanism, designed to 40 be operated through the medium of the swinging raek-bar F', which is secured to the up- ,per end of the registering-rods and is adapted to engage into the gear-toothed roller G, through which notion is transmitted to the registering inechanism. Each of the tabletrods carries an indicating-tablet G'.

Suitable guides H and. I are arranged for the tablets and registering-rods. The registering-rods are preferably connected to the keys pivotally by means of the stirrupssuch as I'-these parts being the same as shown in my previous patent and'application for patent referred to, and operated as described and shown therein in a well-known nanner. 5 5 A The keys in ny nachine are preferably arranged in banks, represcnting, respectively, units, tens, and hundreds, and each bank of keys has its own registering inechanism and operates such registering nechanisn.

I will first describe the operation of the device for preventing the sinultaneous operation of two or more keys, the same consisting of a flexible chain or cord J fixably secu'ed at its ends *to the side of the nachine. In this machinc the keys are arranged in groups, and in such a machiue each grouphasaseparate cord J secured at the side of the group upon suitable cross-bars J d d' are a series of guides arranged below the keys (or if in the rcarof the shaft C above the keys) and forniug between them guide grooves ol's paces for the keys. The cord J, secured at its ends to the cross-bars J', lies loosely upon the tops of the guides d d', having'slack enough to allow of thedepression of one key only, the slaek being taken up in .the loop e, formed under the key between the guides. The cord is stretched tightly over all of the renaining guide-grooves, this preventing the depression of the keys therein, as shown in Fig. 5. While I preferably use this construction itnay b aried to the form shown in Fig. 6, wherein the cord is forned into the loops a, which pass under each key at its lower end and into 8: the loops b between each of the keys which v pass over the rods or bearing c. The length of the cord is such that it will allow of the depression to the full extent of one of the keys; but when one key is thus depressed there is no slack in the cord to allow. of the depression of any of the other keys, as shown in Fig. 5. As soon as the keysuch as B- .is released it assunes its upper position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. Itis evident 5 upon the depression of any key that the slack will be taken up by such key in its depressio, the fiexible cord simply pullin g over the bearing c and under the keys. It Will thus be seen that no two keys of any bank can be oo operated simultaneously to their full extent. The Object of this is to prevent the simultaneous operation of two keys, whereby but one might register, and a dishonest employ might put two small an amount in the cash-drawer to oflset any such registration.

The next feature of my improvement relates to the means for holding up the tabletrods, and the same consists in journaling in the rear of the tablet-rods a can-eccentric or a bar acting as a wedge.

In the drawings I have shown a universal bar L pivoted in the sides of the frame held from downward novenent by a stop-such as L'-but free to move upwardly. This bar enters a cut-away portion or noteh M in the rear side of each tablet-red. O is a shoulder arranged some distance below the 'noteh on the rcar side of each tahlet-rod and in such relation to the length of the tablet-red that it will strike the bearing L just before the tablet-rod has been raised to its highest point, for the purpose as more fully hereinafter de- Soribed.

The operation of these devices is as follows: hen a key is depressedit carries with it, in the upward movenent of the rear end, its tablct-rod. As soon as the tablet-rod begins its upward noyement the shonlder a', below the cut-away portion M in the tabletrod, strikes the under side of the bar L and swings it upward to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, allowing the tablet-rod to come up; but in case the operator releases hishold of the key the tablet-red would be held in its elevated position by the wedging action of the friction-lar L against the rear side of the tablet-rod, as shown in Fi g. 2. Just before the key has completed its movement the shoulder O will strike the under side of the bar and raise it clear theretrom, as shown in Fig. 3, thus allowing any key which may have been preyiously elevated to fall; but as soon as the operator releases his hold of the key the friction-bar L will again come in contact with the rear side of the tablet-rod and hold it in its elevated position, so that the tablet may be seen from the front of the machine in the usual manner. It will be seen that as the cut-away portion M of the unoperated tabletrodsis opposite the friction-bar L, and as that portion of the operated tablet-rods upon which the friction-bar engages extends across that cut-away portion, only the operated tablet-rods will receive the frict-ion of the bar, thereby making it nore efficient than if the friction-bar touched all of the keys.

While I show in this application a bar acting as a wedge it is evident that a cam or an eccentric would eitect the same result.

The rcgistering-rods I desi re to look in their elevated position at any point of partial registration, butallow them to fall as soon as the registration is completed. To this end I have arranged the friction-bar Q, pivotally supported at the sides of the machine, or in suitable cross-bars upon the side of each bank of keys, and this bar is held nornally in horizontal position by means of a spring Q', sliding between two guides Q? Any other form of spring may be used, as may be desired. I simply show this as being a simple form of construction. The forward edge of this frietion-bar Q engages into corresponding cutaway portions or notches R in the front side of all of the registering-rods.

S is another cut-away portion or noteh in each of the registering-rods at the point which willbe opposite the friction-bar when the rods are in their highest position.

The operation of this device is as follows: As soon as the operator has depressed the key the shoulder b' at the loweredge of the noteh R strikes the under side of the friction-bar and causes it to assume theinelined position, as shown in Fig. 2, bearing` with its inner edge against the rear side of the register-ingrod. It is evident that the registering-rod can freely pass upward with the bar in this position; but if at any point of partial registration the operator should release his hold of the key the rod could not fall because of the frictional contact of the bar with the registering-rod thus elcvated. As soon as the registration is completed the bar R is brought opposite the lower noteh S in the registeringrod, which it enters, assuming its horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3. As soon as the operator releases his hold of the key it is evident that the registering-rod can freely descend. The shoulder c' at the upper edge of the noteh S will strike the friction-bar and incline it downwardly until it reaches the notches R, when it will again assune its horizontal position. A cam or au eccentric will act in the same manner as this friction-bar, which has simply a wedgin g action, wedging the registering-rod between the f-iction-bar and the guides. It is evident that in this construction, as in that of the tablet-rods previously deseribed, as the friction-bar Q is opposite the cut-away portion R, common to all the rods, and as the bearing-portion T between the cut-away portions in the operated rod extends across the cut-away portion R in the unoperated rods, the friction will be brought to hear only upon the operated rod,

- thus making it positive in its action, as the key is locked to the registering-rod by means of the stirrup I'. The key itself is locked in its depressed position, should the operator release it at any point of an unconpleted registration. It is evident that the tablet-rod or the registering-rod is clamped in its elevated position between its guide and the frictionbar, and that such clamping is due entirely to the eccentric arrangement of the friction-bar IOO IIO

in relation to the rod and the weight of the red-in other words, that the tablet-red is held up by the clamping eect due to its weight acting between an eccentric or wedging-bar and the guides.

hat I claim as my invention isl. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with a series of keys and series of t ablet-rods operating thereby in guides, of a horizontal friction-bar pivoted at its outer edge, bearing against said tablet-rods in their elevated position, and held in binding-contact With the vertical edge thereofrby the weight of the rod, substantially as described.

2. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with a series of keys and a series of tablet rods operated thereby, moving in guides, of a corresponding notch or cut-away portion in each of said rods, a friction-bar pivotally secured opposite said notch, ex-

tended therein and adapted to bear against' said tablet-rods in their elevated position and clamp them between said bar and the gnides, substantially as described.

3. In a cash register and indicator, the conbination,with 'a series of keys and a series of tablet-rods operated thereby, of guides in which the said tablet-rods move, a horizontally-disposed friction-bar pivotally secured at its onter edge in rear of said rods in binding contact with the vertical edge of the rods, whereby the rods are held against the guides, and tripping nechanisn, substantially as described, for releasing such frictional contact npon the operation of a key, substantially as described.

4. In a cash register and indicator, the combinaton, with a series of keys and a series of tablet-rods operated thereby, of gnides in which said tablet-rods nove, a horizontal frietion-bar pivotally secured at its onter edge in the rear of said tablet-rods, nornally held in binding contact therewith during its upward movenent and adapted to wedge said rods against the said guides by the weight of the rods, and a shonlder at or near the lower end of said tablet-rods to trip said f riction-bar upon the operation of a key, substantially as described.

' 5. In acash-register, the combination, with a series of keys, of a series of notched tabletrods operated by the keys, a pivoted frictionbar normally held in a horizontal plane with the pivots resting in said notches and arranged to bear against the rods in their ele- Vated position, and a shoulder on the rods for tripping the bar, snbstantially as described.

6. In a cash-register, the combination, with a series of keys and a series'ot registeringrods operated thereby moving in guides, of a series of corresponding notches on said rods, and a friction-bar engaging into said notches and adapted to clamp the registering-rod against the guide at any point of partial registration, substantially as described.`

7. In a cash-register, the combination, with a series of keys and a series of registeringrods operated thereby moving in gnides, of two series of corresponding notches in said rods, and a friction-bar engaging into the upper series of notches, adapted to wedge an operated registering-rod against the gnides at any point between the two notches and to be released therefrom upon entering the lower notch, substantially as described.

S. In a cash register and indicator, the combination of a series of keys and a series of tablet-rods operated thereby, of a gravitylatch engaging only the operated tablet-rods to hold them in their elevated position at any point during partial registration, snbstantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 16th day of Decenber, 1889).

WILLIAM G. LATIMER.

XVitnesses:

J. H. WILLIAMS, JAMES BRADY. 

